Thread holder for weft-replenishing looms



June 24, 1930. w. H. wAKEFu-:LD

THREAD HOLDER'FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed Aug. 27., 1929 ./Yvx/.e/v TUR L TER/vf. WA/EF/EL D #f7 W06 A TR/VE V5 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER H. WAKEFIELD 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS THREAD HOLDER FOR WEFT-REPLENISHING LOOMS i Application filed August 27, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in thread holders in weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a device which may readily grip the weft ends from the reserve bobbins and also act byits weight to take up any slack which occurs in the ends.

In cO-pending application Ser. No. 888,845 i'iled by Morrell there is set Jforth a normally closed coil spring to grip the threads and vmove down under the action of gravity to hold the weft ends taut. It is an important object of my present invention to simplify the form of thread holder set forth in that applica-tion by forming the spring at the ends thereof with enlarged coils the upper of which may be used as a hand hold and the lower of which acts as a stop to limit upward movement of the bottom of the spring, thereby permitting expansion of the coils to receive the weft ends.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a gravity actuated normally closed coil spring thread holder having the ends thereof formed similarly so that the same may be used with either end pIVith these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a weft replenishing mechanism of the multicolor type having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the thread holder being in elevated position, and

Fig. 1 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but with the spring in lowered position.

In carrying my invention into effect I mount on the loom frame 10 a magazine designated generally at M and having bobbin compartments 11, 12, 13 and 14, respec- Scrial N0. 388,828.

tively, which hold in vertical alignment a i cured a support 21. The latter is provided with a plurality of substantially semicylindrical grooves or notches 22 which register with corresponding notches 23 formed in a. cap 24 held to the support by means of screws 25. Each pair of registering notches forms a guideway in which is a coil spring thread holder 30 having at its upper and lower ends relatively large coils forming heads 31 and 32, respectively. Intermediate the heads are located closed coils of lesser diameter', designated at `When assembling the device, one of the spring elements 30 will be located in each guideway, after which the cap will be secured in position by the screws 25. It is to be understood that the smaller spring coils 33 are so proportioned as to move freely in the guideways in a vertical direction under the action of gravity, but the heads are too large to pass through the guideways.

When a fresh set of bobbins is to be inserted in the magazine, the weaver will grasp th-e upper head or large coils 31 and move the spring upwardly until the lower head or group of coils 32 engages the bottom support and cap, after which continued upward movement of head 31 will expand the coils 33. Vith the other hand the weaver may then pass the weft ends IV from the bobbins between the coils, after which the upper head is released. Thereafter the spring will tend to move downwardly by action of gravity and hold the several weft ends taut, the spring receiving a slight downward motion at each transfer from the stack or cell in the magazine corresponding thereto.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple form of thread holder formed with a coil spring having relatively large and small coils, the large coils forming heads one of which affords means for elevating the spring' and the other of which affords a stop to limit upward movement of the lower part of the spring, thereby requiring expansion of the intermediate springs of lesser diameter'. It will also be seen that the springs are formed .so as to be symmetrical about a horizontal axis, thereby making it possible to apply the thread holderv'ith either end up.

Having thus describe( my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a support, a thread holder movable vertically under action of gravity in the support and formed at the ends thereof with relatively large coils between which are located smaller closed coils, the lower large coils engaging the support to limit upward movement of the lower part of the closed coils and the upper large coil` forming means whereby the closed coils may be expanded, said upper large coils also capable of engaging the support to limit downward movement of the holder, the smaller coils gripping the weft ends and the holder moving downwardly under the action of gravity to keep the weft ends taut.

Q. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a support, a spring thread holder movable vertically in the support and having an intermediate portion of relatively small closed coils and having at each end thereof relatively large coils, the small coils being freely movable through the support and the large coils limiting movement in both directions of the holder with respect to the support, the lower large coils engaging the support to cause expansion of the small closed coils for the reception of weft ends when the upper coils are raised. the smaller coils gripping the weft ends and the holder moving downwardly under the action of gravity to keep the weft ends taut.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having re- Serve bobbins from which extend weft ends, a support, a coil spring thread holder having an intermediate portion of relatively small closed coils and having each end provided with a head formed of relatively large coils the intermediate portion heilig movable freely under the action of gravity through the support and the heads limitingr movement in a vertical direct-ion of said holder with respect to the support. one of said heads to engage the support when the other is lifted to effect expansion of the smaller coils so that the latter may receive between them the weft end of the bobbins, said holder moving downwardly under the action of gravity to keep the weft ends taut.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends,

a support, said support having a groove formed therein extending in a substantially vertical direction, a cap secured to the sup port and forming a guideway with the groove in the support, and a coil spring thread holder formed of a single piece of wire, said holder having intermediate relatively small closed coils which are movable freely in the Uuidcway, and said thread holder further thaving at each end thereof a head formed of relatively large coils which are incapable of passing through the guide way, one of said heads to engage the support when the other is moved away from the support to effect expansion of the small coils so that the latter may receive between them the weft ends of the reserve bobbins, said holder moving downwardly under the action of gravity to keep the weft ends taut.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extend weft ends` a support having a vertical guideway, and a coil spring thread holder' formed of a single piece of wire, said holder having intermediate relatively small closed coils which are movable freely in the guideway, said holder further having at each end thereof a head formed of relatively large coils which are incapable of passing through the guideway, one of said heads to engage the support when the other is moved away from the support to effect expansion of the small coils so that the latter may receive between them the weft. ends of the reserve bobbins, said holder moving downwardly under the action of gravit-y to keep the weft ends taut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atiixed my signature.

WALTER H. VAKEFIELD. 

